9 Kings: What Critics & Players Say
A summary of critic and player reviews — not a hands-on review.
▶ 9 Kings is widely regarded as a highly addictive roguelike kingdom builder praised for its deep build variety and compelling gameplay loop.
What is 9 Kings?
9 Kings is a strategy RPG and roguelike kingdom builder developed by Sad Socket. In this title, players grow an empire to engage in massive battles against nine rival kings, utilizing a card-based system to construct fortresses and armies in a fast-paced environment.
How It Plays
Players select cards from various decks to build a fortress and deploy units and buffs to withstand waves of enemies. The core loop involves experimenting with combinations of buildings, troops, and spells to create powerful synergies. Progress is marked by working through different kingdoms and unlocking new perks and kings to modify playstyles and overcome increasing difficulties.
The Consensus
There is a strong agreement between players and available critic notes that the game is exceptionally addictive, offering high replayability through its vast array of build combinations and challenging difficulty levels.
What Critics Say
Professional critic coverage is limited, but Strategy and Wargaming describes the gameplay loop as 'so addicting' that it overcomes initial concerns regarding boring graphics and seemingly limited mechanics, ultimately calling it 'time wasted in the best possible way'.
What Players Say
Players report a very positive experience, with many citing hundreds of hours of playtime. Reviewers praise the interesting mechanics and the satisfaction of discovering 'insane builds' and synergies, though some note that card selection often feels more dependent on the opponent than the player's own king.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Extremely high replayability
- ✓ Deep synergy and build variety
- ✓ Addictive core gameplay loop
- ✓ Challenging higher difficulty levels
Cons
- ✗ Boring visual presentation
- ✗ Card selection can feel tied to the opponent
- ✗ Perceived limited mechanics at first glance
Who It's For
👍 Who it's for: Fans of deckbuilders and roguelikes who enjoy experimenting with overpowered builds and complex synergies will love this game.
👎 Who should skip it: Players who prioritize high-end graphics or deep narrative over addictive mechanical loops may find the presentation lacking.
💲 Worth it? At $19.99, players suggest it offers immense value given the hundreds of hours of gameplay some have invested.
How It Compares
| Compared to | How 9 Kings differs |
|---|---|
| Slay the Spire | 9 Kings focuses on kingdom building and fortress defense rather than a linear journey through a map. |
| Teamfight Tactics | It replaces the shared drafting pool with card-based empire construction and roguelike progression. |
Screenshots
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 9 Kings in Early Access?
Yes, the game is listed under the Early Access genre.
How many kings are in the game?
Players fight against 9 rival kings, each with their own decks.
Is the game difficult?
Players report that higher difficulties can become 'really challenging', encouraging experimentation with builds.
What is the primary mechanic?
The game uses a card-based system to build fortresses, deploy units, and apply buffs.
What is the community sentiment on Steam?
The game has a 'Very Positive' rating with 93% of over 10,000 reviews being positive.